Intertidal Biodiversity along the Portuguese coast (2001-2002)

Study Extent

Data were collected during the autumns of 2001 and 2002. Sampling was carried out at 49 wave-exposed rocky shore locations along the Portuguese coast, covering the three major rocky stretches of shoreline in the Northern, Central and Southern regions.

Sampling

Specimens in this dataset were collected in field work carried out between autumns of 2001 and 2002. Observations derives from visual and destructive surveys done along the Portuguese coast.

Quality Control

In addition to AlgaeBase (Guiry and Guiry 2021), authoritative identification guides and keys for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean were used. Specifically, Dixon and Irvine (1977), Hiscock (1979), Irvine (1983), Bárbara and Cremades (1987), Christensen (1987), Fletcher (1987), Saldanha (1988), Burrows (1991), Cabioc'h et al. (1992), Maggs and Hommersand (1993), Hiscock (1986), Irvine and Chamberlain (1994), Brodie and Irvine (2003) were used for algae, and Naylor (1972), Lincoln (1979), Manuel (1981), Graham (1988), Hayward and Ryland (1991) were used for animals. All scientific names were standardized against the WoRMS - The World Register of Marine Species using the Taxon Match tool available at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=match (accessed on: 2021-07-07).

Method steps

1. The steps that led to the final release of the dataset were as follows: (1) In-situ identification of species and attribution of a semi-quantitative abundance SACFOR score; (2) destructive sampling (substrate scraping) at three tidal levels and preservation of samples in formaldehyde; (3) cleaning of formaldehyde, sorting, and identification of specimens in the lab; (4) conversion of paper-based records from the field and from the lab into an electronic data format (spreadsheets); (5) integration of the field and laboratory datasets into a standardized format; (6) retrieval of missing geographical information, georeferencing of coordinates through Google Earth and general quality control; (7) standardization of taxonomy against the World Register of Marine Species.

A total of 242 taxa were identified and their abundance quantified at 49 locations (101 Plantae, 37 Chromista, 101 Animalia, 2 Fungi, 1 Bacteria)

1. Plantae
   rank: kingdom
2. Chromista
   rank: kingdom
3. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
4. Fungi
   rank: kingdom
5. Bacteria
   rank: kingdom

Continental Portuguese coast